Kenyan · Mombasa, Kenya · Born 23 January 1999Kenyan marathon runner who holds the women's marathon world record of 2:09:56 set at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, making her the fastest female marathoner ever
Ruth Chepngetich is a Kenyan marathon runner who broke Brigid Kosgei's world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon with an extraordinary time of 2:09:56 — the first woman to break 2:10. Her performance is one of the most significant in the history of women's distance running and fundamentally changed expectations about what is achievable for women at the marathon distance. Chepngetich's sub-2:10 marathon world record was later scrutinised amid a doping case that emerged in 2025, complicating the legacy of what had been hailed as one of distance running's most extraordinary individual performances.
Marathon world record holder and multiple major marathon winner
How They Played
Aggressive front-running style with exceptional endurance and strong finishing kick
Lasting Impact
One of the greatest female marathon runners, revolutionized women's marathon times
Career Honours
- World Championship Marathon Gold Medal Doha 2019
- World Record Marathon Women 2:09:56 Chicago 2024
- Chicago Marathon Winner 2021
- Chicago Marathon Winner 2022
- Chicago Marathon Winner 2023
- Chicago Marathon Winner 2024
- Istanbul Marathon World Record 2:17:08 2021
- Dubai Marathon Winner 2019
- Dubai Marathon Winner 2020
- Olympic Marathon Silver Medal Tokyo 2020
- World Athletics Road Running Championships Half Marathon Gold 2019
- World Half Marathon Championships Silver Medal Gdynia 2020
Kenyan Athletes